Structure rope buckle

ABSTRACT

An improved structure rope buckle having length adjustment capability that is comprised of a restraining base, a latch plate hinged onto the restraining base, a cramp block fitted into the two sides at the bottom end of the latch plate and capable of rotating along with the latch plate, and a torque spring installed under preloaded tension between the restraining base and the latch plate. The restraining base, the latch plate, and the cramp block are each punch formed from a single sheet of iron plate and, furthermore, the restraining base and the latch plate are sectionally aligned in a one-way teeth enmeshing arrangement. When the rope buckle of the present invention is in the normal state, the cramp block fitted into position at the bottom end of the latch plate has its teeth faces engaged against arresting blocks on the restraining base by the preloaded tension of the torque spring to thereby clutch the rope inserted between them. To adjust the length of the rope, downward force is applied to the far end of the latch plate, which releases the engagement of the cramp block teeth faces from the latch plate and enables adjustment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1) Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention here relates to an improved structure rope bucklein which the restraining base, the latch plate, and the cramp block areeach punch formed from a single sheet of iron plate and, furthermore,providing a structural feature that enables one-way teeth enmeshmentwhen the restraining base and the cramp block are engaged together; thepresent invention also minimizes the material utilized when the ropebuckle is fabricated and, furthermore, the one-piece punch formedconstruction not only provides for fabrication simplicity, but alsorapid production and shaping as well as a one-way adjustment releasefeature enabling the free end of the rope to be pulled in a singledirection for adjustment purposes to achieve corrective biasing at oneside that increases rope tightness.

[0003] 2) Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In a conventional rope buckle, the frame, latch plate, andlocking block are all formed by compression casting and, furthermore,the latch plate and the locking block are of one-piece compressioncasted construction, with the conjoinment section coupling the twocomponents consisting of a solid structural arrangement that results ingreater fabrication complexity and, furthermore, involves additionalmaterial and cost expenditures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The primary objective of the invention herein is to provide animproved structure rope belt comprised of a restraining base, a latchplate, a cramp block, and a torque spring; when the said rope buckle isin the normal state, the cramp block fitted into position at the bottomend of the latch plate has its teeth faces engaged against arrestingblocks on the restraining base by the preloaded tension of the torquespring to thereby clutch the rope inserted between them; to adjust thelength of the rope, downward force is applied to the far end of thelatch plate, which releases the engagement of the cramp block teethfaces from the latch plate and enables adjustment; since the saidrestraining base, latch plate, and cramp block are each punch formedfrom a single sheet of iron plate and, furthermore, solid material forthe conjoinment section is minimized because the cramp block and thelatch plate are both individually punch formed, production cost isreduced; in addition, the one-piece punch formed construction not onlyprovides for fabrication simplicity, but also rapid production andshaping.

[0006] Another objective of the invention herein is to provide animproved structure rope belt, wherein since the said cramp block teethfaces and the restraining base arresting blocks structurally consist ofa perpendicular face at one end and a curved slanted face at the otherend, this structural feature enables one-way teeth enmeshment when therestraining base and the cramp block are engaged together; as such, whenthe tautness of a rope tied around cargo is insufficient, the free endof the rope can be pulled in a single direction for adjustment and whilethe rope is being pulled, the curved slanted faces of the arrestingblocks do not clutch the rope (the perpendicular faces clutch the rope)and, furthermore, the rope is capable of elevating the latch plate 2 acertain degree to achieve the single-sided adjustment of the rope andthereby further increase rope tightness to correct looseness; thus, whenthe rope is tied around cargo, the free end can be pulled to adjust thedegree of tightness to prevent the hazardous slippage of the tiedobject.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is an exploded drawing of the invention herein.

[0008]FIG. 2 is an isometric drawing of the invention herein

[0009]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional drawing of the invention herein in theengaged state.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional drawing of the invention herein in thedisengaged state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structural arrangement of theinvention herein, the present invention is comprised of a restrainingbase 1, a latch plate 2 hinged onto the restraining base 1, a crampblock 3 fitted into the two sides at the bottom end of the latch plate2, and a torque spring 4 installed under preloaded tension between therestraining base 1 and the latch plate 2, of which:

[0012] The said restraining base 1 is punch formed from a single sheetof iron plate into a U-shaped substructural body having an opening 11though the bottom end and, furthermore, the said opening 11 provides forrope insertion; teeth-shaped arresting blocks 12 are disposed along aside of the said restraining base 1 opening 11 and, furthermore, eacharresting block 12 is one-way enmeshing tooth consisting of a curvedslanted face 121 at one end and a perpendicular face 122 at the otherend, thereby allowing an inserted rope S to only slide in a singledirection; a pivot hole 13 is formed in each of the two ends of therestraining base 1 that provides for the insertion of a pin P to conjointhe latch plate 2 and the restraining base 1 into a unitary hinged body.

[0013] The said latch plate 2 is punch formed from a single sheet ofiron plate into a planar structure that is contoured slightly downwardfrom the upper front end and, furthermore, with a lateral portion 21extending outward along each of its two sides that facilitates thefitting in and placement of the cramp block 3; a pivot hole 22 is formedin each of the two ends of the latch plate 2 lateral portions 21 toprovide for the insertion of a pin P and, furthermore, a slot 23 isformed at each of the bottom ends of the pivot holes 22 to provide forthe snapped insertion of a matching tenon 33 at each of the two sides ofthe cramp block 3.

[0014] The said cramp block 3 is punch formed from a single sheet ofiron plate into a rectangular solid structure arrayed with enmeshingteeth-shaped projections each having a curved slanted face 32 at one endand a perpendicular face at the other end, thereby providing for thesliding of the rope S in a single direction; a tenon 33 extends alongeach of the two sides of the said cramp block 3 and, furthermore, thetenons 33 are inserted into the slots 23 of the latch plate 2 and thenthe slightly stretched lateral portions 21 of the latch plate 2 drawback together to position the cramp block 3 onto the latch plate 2 suchthat it is carried along as the latch plate 2 is rotated.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, after the cramp block 3 tenons 33have been inserted into the said latch plate 2 slots 33, the two lateralportions 21 of the latch plate 2 rebound inward to ensure that the crampblock 3 remains clipped and restricted into position on the latch plate2 and, furthermore, the teeth faces of the cramp block 3 engage thearresting blocks 12 on the restraining base 1; then, the latch plate 2pivot holes 22 are aligned with restraining base 1 pivot holes 13 and,as the pin P is about to be inserted, the torque spring 4 is installedand, furthermore, one extremity of the said torque spring 4 is situatedagainst the bottom edge of the latch plate 2 and the other extremity issituated against the top of the restraining base 1 such that the torquespring 4 is tightly postured between the restraining base 1 and thelatch plate 2.

[0016] Pressing the far end of the latch plate 2 causes a certain degreeof separation to occur between the cramp block 3 teeth faces and therestraining base 1 arresting blocks 12, the rope S is then inserted intothe resulting space of separation and drawn out through the opening 11;releasing the latch plate 3 subjects the latch plate 3 to thedecompressive exertion of the torque spring 4, causing the cramp block 3teeth faces to engage the restraining base 1 arresting blocks 12; assuch, when the said rope buckle is in the normal state, the upper edgeof the latch plate 2 is parallel to the upper edge of the restrainingplate 1 and, furthermore, the cramp block 3 fitted into position at thebottom end of the latch plate 2 has its teeth faces engaged against thearresting blocks 12 on the restraining base 1 by the preloaded tensionof the torque spring 4 to clutch the rope S inserted between them (asshown in FIG. 3).

[0017] To adjust the length of the rope 2, downward force is applied tothe far end of the latch plate 2 and at the same time, the torque spring4 deforms, causing the front end of the latch plate 2 to move upward atthe axial center of the pin P and disengage the teeth faces of the crampblock 3 installed at the bottom edge of the latch plate 2 from therestraining base 1, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the rope S(as shown in FIG. 4); following the release of force application, thelatch plate 2 returns to a parallel disposition by the preloaded tensionof the torque spring 4, thereby resuming the engaged state.

[0018] Since the said restraining base 1, latch plate 2, and cramp block3 are each punch formed from a single sheet of iron plate and,furthermore, solid material for the conjoinment section is minimizedbecause the cramp block 3 and the latch plate 3 are both individuallypunch formed, production cost is reduced; in addition, the one-piecepunch formed construction not only provides for fabrication simplicity,but also rapid production and shaping.

[0019] The said cramp block 3 teeth faces and the restraining base 1arresting blocks 12 each consists of a perpendicular face at one end anda curved slanted face at the other end, a structural feature thatenables one-way teeth enmeshment when the restraining base 1 and thecramp block 3 are in an engaged state; as such, when rope S tightness isinsufficient while tied to an object, the free end S1 of the rope S canbe pulled in a single direction for adjustment and while the rope S isbeing pulled, the curved slanted face 121 of the arresting blocks 12 donot clutch the rope 2 (the perpendicular faces 122 clutch the rope S)and, furthermore, the rope S is capable of elevating the latch plate 2an appropriate degree to achieve a single-sided adjustment of the rope Sand thereby further increase rope tightness to correct looseness;therefore, when the rope S is tied around cargo, the free end S1 can bepulled to adjust the degree of tightness to prevent the hazardousslippage of the tied cargo.

1. An improved structure rope buckle comprised of: A restraining basehaving an opening though the bottom end and, furthermore, teeth-shapedarresting blocks disposed along a side of the said opening; a pivot holeformed in each of the two ends of the said restraining base thatprovides for the insertion of a pin to conjoin a latch plate and thesaid restraining base into a unitary hinged body: A latch plate having apivot hole formed in each of its two ends to provide for the insertionof the said pin. A cramp block situated at the bottom end of the saidlatch plate. A torque spring installed under preloaded tension betweenthe said restraining base and the said latch plate. The innovativefeatures of which include: The said restraining base, the said latchplate, and the said cramp block are each punch formed from a singlesheet of iron plate. After the said latch plate is fabricated, a lateralportion extending outward along each of its two sides facilitates thefitting in and placement of the said cramp block; the said cramp blockis snapped into position between the two sides at the bottom end of thesaid latch plate. As such, solid material for the conjoinment section isminimized to thereby reduce production cost which, furthermore, not onlyprovides for fabrication simplicity, but also rapid production andshaping.
 2. As mentioned in claim 1 of the improved structure ropebuckle of the invention herein, the said arresting blocks of the saidrestraining base that sectionally contact the teeth faces of the saidrestraining base are of one-piece punch formed construction in a one-wayteeth enmeshing arrangement consisting of a curved slanted face at oneend and a perpendicular fare at the other end, thereby providing for theadjustment of rope tightness by pulling the free end of the rope toprevent the hazardous slippage of tied cargo.
 3. As mentioned in claim 1of the improved structure rope buckle of the invention herein, a slot isformed in the two sides at the bottom ends of the said latch plate and amatching said tenon projects from each of the two sides of the saidcramp block and, furthermore, the said tenons are inserted into the saidslots of the said latch plate and then the slightly stretched saidlateral portions of the said latch plate draw back together to positionthe said cramp block onto the said latch plate such that it is carriedalong as the said latch plate is rotated.
 4. As mentioned in claim 1 ofthe improved structure rope buckle of the invention herein, the said pinis inserted through the coils of the said torque spring as it is slippedinto the said restraining base and the said latch plate and,furthermore, one extremity of the said torque spring is situated againstthe bottom edge of the said latch plate and the other extremity issituated against the top of the said restraining base such that the saidtorque spring is tightly postured between the said restraining base andthe said latch plate.